Core Skills Analysis
English
Arrie practised spoken communication by explaining her games, outfit, drawings, and friendship problem to the support worker. She used conversation, playful language, and turn-taking during thumb wars, “Bet I Can’t Make You Say,” Uno, and shared movie discussions. Through her drawings and explanations, Arrie communicated ideas about her present identity and hopes for the future. She also demonstrated audience awareness by deciding what to show and explain to the support worker and her friend.
Mathematics
Arrie used practical mathematical thinking when she noticed how long she had been using the hotspot and requested that it be turned off to save data. She also followed rules, took turns, and made strategic decisions while playing Uno and keepy-uppy. Arrie’s movement games involved timing, counting opportunities, and coordinating actions with another person. These experiences supported problem-solving and decision-making in meaningful everyday contexts.
Science
Arrie explored movement and physical coordination through trampoline activities and balloon keepy-uppy. She observed how her actions affected the balloon’s direction and height and adjusted her movements during play. Brushing and styling hair also involved noticing texture, position, and changes caused by different actions. These activities provided informal experiences with force, motion, balance, and cause and effect.
Health and Physical Education
Arrie participated in active play on the trampoline and during balloon keepy-uppy, developing coordination, balance, timing, and body control. She made personal choices about physical contact, including declining to have her hair brushed, showing awareness of her own boundaries. Arrie also expressed a positive view of herself by saying she liked how she was and did not need to change. Her interactions included cooperation, turn-taking, and discussion of a friendship problem.
The Arts
Arrie created digital drawings on her iPad, including images representing how she looked currently and how she imagined looking in the future. She used visual art to communicate ideas about hair, clothing, identity, and personal aspirations. She also experimented creatively by styling the support worker’s hair in different ways. These activities developed imagination, visual representation, self-expression, and creative decision-making.
Digital Technologies
Arrie used her iPad to design and decorate a virtual house, create drawings, explore games, and communicate with a friend. She demonstrated responsible digital decision-making when she recognised that hotspot use consumed data and asked for it to be switched off. She later requested access again for a specific social purpose. Arrie showed that digital tools could support creativity, play, communication, and learning.
Personal and Social Capability
Arrie shared her interests, invited the support worker into her play, and participated in conversations and cooperative games. She communicated a personal preference about her appearance while also affirming that she liked herself as she was. Arrie identified that she and her friend were working through a problem, suggesting awareness of relationships and conflict. She also demonstrated autonomy by making choices about activities, food, technology use, and personal boundaries.
Tips
Tips: Build on Arrie’s interests by inviting her to create a digital “future self” story with drawings and short captions, then discuss how people can change while still valuing who they are now. Turn hotspot awareness into a simple data-budget activity using pretend daily data amounts and choices about streaming, games, and messaging. Extend movement learning with a balloon investigation comparing gentle and strong taps, recording which actions change height or direction. Finally, use a cooperative card game or role-play to practise possible ways of solving a friendship problem, while allowing Arrie to choose what she wishes to share.
Book Recommendations
- The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires: A creative story about persistence, frustration, problem-solving, and making something new.
- The Colors of Us by Karen Katz: A positive exploration of appearance, identity, and the many ways people look.
- The Wild Robot by Peter Brown: A thoughtful adventure connecting technology, friendship, adaptation, and relationships.
Learning Standards
- English – AC9E6LY01: Arrie used spoken interaction skills to explain ideas, participate in games, discuss movies, and communicate with a friend.
- Mathematics – AC9M6N05: Her practical decision to monitor hotspot use involved everyday problem-solving and resource management.
- Science – AC9SPS01: Trampoline and balloon play involved observing movement and how movement changed through different actions.
- HASS – WAHASS91: Arrie explored connections between people, technology, friendship, and wellbeing through digital communication and social interaction.
- Health and Physical Education: The activity supported movement skills, cooperation, personal boundaries, self-understanding, and respectful relationships.
Try This Next
- Create a ‘My Choices’ worksheet with examples of when Arrie chose an activity, set a boundary, solved a problem, or managed technology use.
- Conduct a balloon experiment: test soft, medium, and strong taps, then draw or record the balloon’s movement.
- Design a digital self-portrait labelled ‘How I am now’ and ‘Things I may enjoy in the future.’
- Write three possible responses Arrie could use when working through a problem with a friend.